Monday, May 8, 2017

I can easily start thinking about something and spiral down into a huge pit of WHAT IF.

Are you a WHAT IF-er?

Do you find yourself thinking....

WHAT IF......I lose my job?

WHAT IF....my marriage falls apart?

WHAT IF.....someone I love dies?

WHAT IF....the medical diagnosis is scary?

God clearly calls us to focus on WHAT IS, NOT What IF.

What IF is speculation and allows Satan to get a foothold in our hearts.

Dwelling on WHAT IS- the facts laid out in the word of God- is what we are called to do.

His TRUTH that is LIVING, ENDURING, and remains FOREVER.

I love the Message version of Matthew 6: 33-34 which says...

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

This is a perfect passage to remind us to focus on WHAT IS, NOT What If in our lives.

and how they are using them with friends, family members & those in their church.

I can't begin to tell you how much I love those emails, am thankful for those sweet people

who take time out of their busy schedule to write me & how much joy they bring to my heart.

I love hearing how God is using my tiny works for His good

and He is so very gracious to show me through those emails.

However in addition to those precious emails....

I also get a handful of emails that I do NOT love.

The kind that upset me and make me utter the statement above about quitting.

Those emails are ones that complain & do so not very kindly.

Complain about the topic I chose for the month.

Complain about the fact that there isn't a general plan for the month.

Complain about the fact that there isn't a short plan.

Complain that the new plan for the month hasn't been posted yet.

Complain about how the plans print on their printer.

Just complain.

And those emails make me sad.

And sometimes I'll admit, angry.

Angry because I do the plans in my spare time- of which I do not have much- and for FREE.

(Fun fact: I don't make a single penny off of my blog and in fact running my blog COSTS me moneyNo sponsorship. No ads. Nada.)

Like many of you, I have a super busy full time job,

lots of volunteer opportunities I'm involved in,

a family to love and take care of, a Bible study to teach, a blog to write

and a million other tasks to accomplish each day.

Writing a plan takes time and isn't something that I do quickly or take lightly.

It takes time in the word to research and read.

It takes time to create it, have it proofed, have it translated, format it, post it, etc.

And I love doing it but when I get those emails it honestly makes me want to cry.

And sometimes it does.

As I was thinking of the latest not kind email I received late last night I realized something-

those emails are having the EXACT effect that Satan would like for them to.

He is CHEERING when they upset me and make me think of quitting.

Because he would LOVE to cause me to quit writing those plans.

Because he hates anything that would cause us to grow closer to the Lord.

And that made me wish I was wearing this shirt of mine that I love:

Because stupid, stinky Satan will not win.

I will NOT quit doing something that I know God has called me to do.

NOT TODAY SATAN.

Galatians 6:9-10 says....

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Such a sweet reminder that when we are weary

(and that's when Satan loves to attack us)

we are to carry on doing good.

So my prayer for you and for me this morning is that when folks

around us are used by Satan to make us angry

and want to quit doing those things God has called us to do-

that we see that clearly and say loudly:

NOT TODAY SATAN!

PS If you have to write someone an email to complain, please try to at least say something kind in it too! PSS Y'all are so sweet! Thank you for your kind words on this post- I promise that was not my intent when writing this. But know that you have blessed me greatly with them!

Email me at swtblessings {at} gmail.com with any questions or just to say Hi! You are so very welcome to post any of my work but please place a link back to my site as you do so and do not remove my blog link on any items. Thank you!